Nyack Film Festival Announces Winners

Vincent Pastore, “Big Pussy” from The Soprano’s, makes appearance at Nyack Film Festival

Three days 18 films and hundreds of film fans created film history in Nyack this past weekend when community, independent filmmakers and celebrities make the premiere Nyack Film Festival a Smash Hit! Independent movie making has a long past and every person a lot of people in the business has done some kind of “indie” film or maybe started their career in one.

It’s always exciting to see films you wouldn’t normally get a chance to see and this festival offered up a wide variety of creativity and subject matter. Submissions included award winners of other film festivals, as well as works from local filmmakers. Local high school students also had 2 films screened by the audience and judges. Everyone had a chance to vote on the films.

RocklandWorldRadio.com is planning to broadcast all the festival films later the fall. All films screened are listed online at http://issuu.com/modernmetrozine/docs/filmfest

The winning films are listed below.

Best Short:
“Friends and Strangers”
The story of a lonely, elderly widower who meets a young woman at a local bar and invites her to join him for a holiday dinner with his estranged family.
Starring Erika Amato, Larry Block and Joe Coots
Written and Directed by Edward Caban,

Best Short Feature:
“Alienated,” from Pavaline Studios
Marc Dahan executive producer
Starring Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos) and Louis Vanaria (A Bronx Tale)
A short film about a hit man (Pastore) and his fear of extraterrestrial entities interfering in his personal life. Written by Charles Disney and Lee Barron. The film was directed by Rockland resident Paul Borghese.

Best Documentary:
“The Choreographer”
Documentary profiling choreographer Lisa diRibere who has studied with both Balanchine and Baryshnikov .
Written and Directed by Christopher Lukas

Best Music
“Lift”
Original music by David Budway.
Directors: Hughes Dalton
Jeff Garton
Starring Dominique Pinon

People’s Choice:
“Alienated,” from Pavaline Studios
Marc Dahan executive producer
Starring Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos) and Louis Vanaria (A Bronx Tale)
A short film about a hit man (Pastore) and his fear of extraterrestrial entities interfering in his personal life. Written by Charles Disney and Lee Barron. The film was directed by Rockland resident Paul Borghese.